Campbell's Cuts

It may not sound like the most interesting news, but the battle being fought within the NHLPA could have an adverse effect on the league's future. The natural inclination among hockey fans upon hearing that NHL Players’ Association executive director Paul Kelly was fired Monday was likely a yawn accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders.

The decision to fire Paul Kelly as NHLPA executive director is the latest in a long line of poor decisions by the union. Paul Kelly lost his job early Monday morning for reasons that are so preposterous it risks making the NHL Players’ Association the laughingstock of the sports world.

Dany Heatley's press conference... Grinders at Canada's Olympic camp... No moves for the Sharks... Jim Balsillie... and front-loaded contracts. My goodness, how things pile up during a five-week vacation, even if it is during the dog days of summer when nothing is supposed to be happening in hockey.

There's no doubt the CBA has some problems, but it's also given an opportunity to players who wouldn't have had a chance if not for the salary cap. The law of unintended consequences is all over this collective bargaining agreement. To be sure, Gary Bettman never thought in his wildest nightmares that the salary cap would prompt teams to essentially circumvent it by signing players to ridiculously long contracts they will undoubtedly come to regret.

Despite his reputation for being a defense first, boring coach, Jacques Lemaire will earn wins and possibly, like he did in 1995 with the Devils, a Stanley Cup. The last time Lou Lamoriello went looking for a coach, there is little doubt he went outside his comfort zone. Two summers ago, he hired The Next Great Thing™ to go behind his team’s bench when he plucked Brent Sutter out of the junior ranks.

There were several things GM Bryan Murray could have done to ensure he got the deal he wanted for Dany Heatley. I’m not saying the Ottawa Senators have completely mishandled the Dany Heatley situation – after all, Heatley blindsided them with his trade demand at the most inopportune time possible – but I believe it could have been handled differently.

The players will be in tough to change the head shot rule... a new philosophy in Minnesota... and Dan Bylsma at the Olympics. Some musings for your dining and dancing pleasure on the first Monday of The Summer of ’09:
• It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall when the revamped competition committee meets for the first time Thursday in Montreal.

By letting their GM walk at such a crucial time, you have to wonder why the Panthers didn't let Jacques Martin go earlier. The game of musical chairs that has been played in NHL circles over the past couple of weeks has left the Florida Panthers scrambling for someone to fill the chair in their GM’s office.

Is the Coyotes mediation setup a bad sign for Jim Balsillie?... Cup scheduling... Dale Mitchell no savior... and are Avs fans getting a Roy deal? Some Monday musings for your dining and dancing pleasure:
• As it turns out, the mediation process between the NHL and the Phoenix Coyotes is not taking the conventional form of mediation and that’s probably not very good news for prospective owner Jim Balsillie.

Despite their star power and flashy play the Washington Capitals are still a few key ingredients away from being a true contender. When I spoke with Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis before the season, he left only enough room for daylight between his forefinger and his thumb and said, “Washington is this close to becoming a hockey town.

From top to bottom and any way you look at it, the NHL's decsion not to uphold Scott Walker's "automatic" suspension is absurd. You know, you’re always learning something when it comes to discipline in the NHL. Just about every ruling – or non-ruling – that comes down teaches us something most of us didn’t know before.

It seems to be a good time for Jim Balsillie to renew his attempt to move a team to Ontario, but don't underestimate what Gary Bettman can do. The first time Jim Balsillie tried to buy an NHL team, Gary Bettman arbitrarily changed the rules to make the prospect of purchasing the Pittsburgh Penguins so unpalatable Balsillie had no choice but to walk away.